Pentatonic paterns

[zymeth]

Does anyone out there have some good funky, or heavy pentatonic patterns they can share with me?

[zymeth]

actually... just any pentatonic pattern lol

[DocBop]

I would bet if you took the time to analyze some of the basslines you play you are playing pentatonic patterns. You could take your favorite Blues record and there will be lots of pentatonic patterns. You have the answer just do a little listening and transcribing.

[mambo4]

What do you know about scales and pentatonics already?

pentatonic scales are just selected notes from major/minor scales.

Major scale = 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 (key of C: C D E F G A B)
Major Pentatonic =1 2 3 5 6 (key of C:C D E G A)

it sounds like you are looking for the minor pentatonic scale:

Minor Scale= 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7 (key of Am : A B C D E F G )
Minor Pentatonic = 1 b3 4 5 b7(key of Am : A C D E G )

You may notice that C major pent and Aminor pent are actually the same notes. Like the major scale and its modes, The reality is that there is only one pentatonic pattern. What note you start on will determine the actual key and its major/minor function.

I strongly suggest you experiment like this:
Pick a key (C major for example) and play the major pentatonic scale starting on that note:
C D E G A C(8ve)
Next, play the pattern so that C falls on the second step of the pattern( Bb maj pent) , start and end on C :
C D F G Bb C(8ve)
Next, play the pattern so that C falls on the third step of the pattern( Ab maj pent) , start and end on C :
C Eb F Ab Bb C(8ve)
Next, C falls on the fourth step:
C D F G A C(8ve)
and the fifth step:
C Eb F G Bb C(8ve)

That's all the "modes" of the major pentatonic scale.

there is also the blues scale, which is the minor pent with an added chromatic note between the 4th and 5th:

Minor Pentatonic Blues = 1 b3 4 b5 5 b7
(key of Am : A C D Eb E G )
Although truthfully it's only "a" blues scale , not "THE" blues scale.

Pentatonic scales are inherently melodic in nature, and are a very useful tool. Don't limit yourself to ones that are just Heavy or Funky!

[Grinky]

pretty detailed stuff you got there mambo!

Just wanna add on though. In the major scale you have 3 major pentatonic scales that start on your 1, your 4 and your 5. E.g. In the key of C major, you would have 3 major pentatonic scales starting on C, F, and G. The difference between each is of only a note or two, but it may give you just the difference you need.

[Mo' Bass 00]

check this out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_ZwdAK5lI8

[warnergt]

Ol' Man River is supposed to use the pentatonic scale.

BTW, Mo' Bass 00, I really liked that youtube video!

[mutedeity]

There are more than 700 pentatonic scales. There is definitely no THE pentatonic scale. Mostly we refer to either Pentationic Major and Pentatonic Minor, which are five tone scales that can be applied to the matching chords in a diatonic setting. That means that if you have a minor chord, you can play pentatonic minor over it without worrying if you are playing the correct mode for that chord's position. Likewise for the major chord and pentatonic major scale.

[DocBop]

Originally Posted by mutedeity

There are more than 700 pentatonic scales.

700? What are you doing taking every combination of five notes of the chromatic scale? I don't know if I would call a lot of those scales; five tone patterns or chromatic fragments.

[mutedeity]

Originally Posted by DocBop

700? What are you doing taking every combination of five notes of the chromatic scale? I don't know if I would call a lot of those scales; five tone patterns or chromatic fragments.

Well it depends on your concept of a scale, really. You could argue that 5 tone scales with microtonals make the possibilities virtually limitless. The point is that there is no such thing as the pentatonic scale and there are quite a number of practical ones, even in a more traditional sense, than just the major and minor pentatonics.

[-Sam-]

http://www.lucaspickford.com/alteredp.htm

End thread